Heaven's Descent
by YaoiSongstress07
Summary: The Brawl season promises to be momentous, but in the most inexplicable ways. Old Snake falls for a Keyblade wielder, Link's entangled in a love web, and the PKMN Trainer is torn between two pieces of his heart! Pain abounds in the presence of love!


Welcome, dear friends, to 'Heaven's Descent'. XD I am the one, the only YaoiSongstress! Thank you for coming. Before this adventure begins, though, there are a few things you must understand. My work places heavy focus on boy/boy love, as you might have been able to tell from my pen name. Another thing you must understand is this: my depiction of Snake is far different from the stereotypical, heartless (and otherwise boring) Snake. If you're the smallest bit uncomfortable with boy/boy love, and/or an emotional Snake, PLEASE DON'T CONTINUE. That also applies to you if you're unhappy with Snake being paired with another guy.

**Once again. If you cannot at least tolerate boy/boy love, an humanized Snake, and/or Snake being paired with a guy, PLEASE DON'T READ THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU.**

Disclaimer: Metal Gear Solid, Super Smash Bros and Kingdom Hearts don't belong to me. To infinity and beyond.

* * *

You heard all of them as a child. You heard the stories of Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty right before bed time, either from your parents or realistic, vibrant movies. You probably even read them by yourself, immersing yourself in pages of gallantry. Princes and princesses were your best friends, representing the paradise you frequently dreamt of. The tales didn't stop during your childhood, though. Beauty and the Beast probably became your favorite later on down the road. You were probably introduced to the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet as a teenager. You've heard all of the astounding classics, and you probably think you know every love story there is to know. You'll be amazed to find out how many you're missing!

At the start of every Smash season, stories of all shapes, sizes and colors take flight. They're planted into fertile ground, and nourished throughout each season. Hundreds of worlds come together in the grand Mushroom Kingdom, forming friendships and spreading the flames of romance. The first Smash season didn't give birth to any epics, which was easy to understand. It was, after all, the preliminary season. Worlds were just coming together for the very first time, unfamiliar with one another but adventurous. Combatants and visitors alike were more than willing to learn about each other, new worlds and new sights.

Fox McCloud and Falco Lombardi's relationship was in a gentle, carefree stage. Together they were playful, happier than kittens with new toys. They spent their hours joking, calling each other names while nudging each other. The two pilots were entities of sunshine, glowing with delight as the days drew on. The Smash Committee frequently had them set in a pair, due to the tight bond they shared. As the other combatants found out, both pilots had been through a world of pain. Their relationship started off on rocky ground. Falco was a new entrant to the Star Fox team, straight from a band of thieves. Fox, practically a virgin to a commander's ways, always rebelled against Falco's hostility. It took a while for the two of them to become friends, but they entered the Melee season as peas in a pod. The future would see their story blossom beyond friendship, but it would grow into an incredibly complex tale.

While the other combatants nourished friendships, Roy and Link nurtured the flames of a puppy crush. The two of them shared cherry pink smiles, squeezes and quick embraces. Marth councelled Link on the art of love, while Princess Peach showed Roy the kingdom's hottest date places. Marth's close friend became Peach's pupil, absorbing her lessons on bouquets, candy boxes and love poetry. The Hero of Time and Pharae's prince were the talk of the town, cuter than ladybugs on a flower petal. They were the embodiment of the Melee season, radiant and brimming with effervescent promises.

Not a single Smasher predicted what the Brawl season would hold.

Of course Merluvlee, the Gatekeeper of Fortune, stole glimpses of the future. She always grabbed sneak peeks at upcoming Smash seasons, and laughed whenever saw pages of an epic tale. She kept every inch of adventure, heartache and hope to herself, giddy at her ability to see what no one else could see. As the Melee season drew to a close, she sat inside of hut and ordered her crystal ball around. Minutes passed before she decided on something.

The Brawl season would forever be her favorite!

As the previous two seasons of Smash did, the Brawl season started off with bangs. There was an extraordinary difference between the three seasons, though. Out of every season, the Brawl season had a greater entrance. The Greeting Ceremonies, conducted by Princess Daisy's Smash Committee, were much more exciting than they had ever been before! Countless worlds came together in the Mushroom Kingdom, watering relationships and determined to have fun. The new additions to the Smash roster were incredibly exciting, creating enough buzz to drown out a million honeybees. Visitors to the kingdom shared their thoughts on the new additions, quickly able to pinpoint their favorites. Fun blossomed and bloomed in every corner!

Only Merluvlee knew of the tales yet to come.

Entering the Brawl season, Fox and Falco came in under a completely different light. They were far from bright, evidently enduring a strained relationship. In their year away from the Mushroom Kingdom, turbulent events pulled them through a thousand wringers. Their jobs as pilots weren't ever easy, with the exception of bedtime duties, but they were always enchanting. The other Smashers took quite a shine to their line of work, always wondering about life in the stars. When their favorite pilots arrived for the Brawl season, enchantment turned to horror. Excitement turned to distress. The McCloud and Lombardi were still the closest of friends, but a lot had put their friendship on thin ice. And they were awkward around each other. Fox never looked at Falco once he stepped inside of Smash Castle. Falco's heart broke whenever anyone mentioned Fox, or even the Star Fox team. It was heart-breaking to see how their relationship had darkened, but light glimmered within darkness-and Princess Peach believed in it.

Falco and Fox's relationship wasn't the only one to experience growth difficulties. Roy, due to overwhelming responsibilities, had to bow out of his Brawl invitation. Link accepted his Brawl invitation, just so he'd see his prince again, only to have his heart crushed. Peach had given him the confidence to accept himself and his body! It took the entire Melee season for the shy Hyrulean to bloom, but at the end of the season, he swore to pledge his heart to Roy-forever and always! He would celebrate the beginning of Brawl season by 'shagging him' (as Samus put it)! He would confess his undying love underneath the stars, peel off his clothing and make wild love to his beautiful prince!

Unfortunately, Roy had to return home and stay home. A budding war, family problems and an arranged marriage awaited him.

The first two problems were bad enough, but the last one broke Link's gentle heart. Once he found out about Roy from the Committee, it was as if a fairy tale wilted and died. He kept up his usual smile, showed Daisy's messenger his appreciation, and left the Castle's lobby. He was in his dorm room within minutes-

-and didn't open his door until the next morning.

The other Smashers, old and new, constantly worried about him. He eventually withdrew from his room, but he wasn't the least bit happy. Of course he kept up his smile, but suffered from overwhelming sadness. He was always exhausted, spent many hours in the Castle Gardens, and kept only one confidant-Fox. It seemed as if the two of them were in the same boat, drowning in their broken pages. The confused, frustrated McCloud shared his thoughts with Link, while the disconsolate hero shared his thoughts with the Star Fox commander. The two of them had broken dreams in common, and kept to themselves-until another new addition to the Smash roster arrived. Without even trying, he commanded adoration. All Smashers, including the miserable Fox and Link, were instantly drawn to his babyish curiosity. Peach instantly fell in love with him because of his adorable characteristics. His name was Snake, and-

There was a lot of confusion surrounding the first part of his name.

He had been registered under the name 'Solid Snake', but when he arrived, Princess Daisy had to do a bit of investigating. Fans of Smash seasons filed complaints and furiously asked questions. The other Smashers were nothing short of worried, Princess Daisy was horror-stricken, and Snake?

Well, true to a puppy's form, he took to his new home as a live fish took to a frying pan.

"_Mr. Snake flew in today, ma'am, but...he's not the one from his profile. He's kinda a bit...erm, older."_

_"Older? What do you mean?"_

_"Well...he's a lot older than the Snake in our picture. Didn't we enlist a man of forty years into Brawl?"_

_"Maybe we scooped up the wrong Snake. There could be more than one, you guys!"_

The Smash Committee was at a loss, and so was the public. No one was thrilled to have an aging war hero in the Brawl lineup! But not for reasons one would assume. The Smash fans weren't disgusted by gravely worried, wondering if such an old man should participate in such brutal competition-and wondering why Daisy allowed him to enter! Peach's friend quickly issued a message over the Smash Net, explaining the web her committee had fallen into. They picked up the right Snake, but he aged a great deal since his acceptance of the Brawl invitation.

When her broadcast ended, Snake (known as Old Snake instead of Solid Snake) won center stage.

Legions of Smash fans fell in love with Brawl's oldest contender, enchanted by his wish to compete-and saddened by his obvious ailment. Evidently, some heartless idiot had put him inside of some curse! How horrible. Snake was just so quiet and cute! What monster could wreak such havoc on that poor soul?

There was a monster responsible for Snake's old age, but he was certainly responsible for winning an award. It was a rather prestigous award in the Smash community, given to the most endearing competitor of the season. Normally, it wasn't given out until season's end, but once Daisy put out her explanation, the rules were quickly bent. The public clamored to have Snake put on the throne of Smash Seraph. It was a surprising turn of events, considering Pit had the ability to unleash cavity epidemics (much to Ike and Bowser's dismay), but giving Snake the award just felt right. He was, after all, even cuter than a Pichu. His sugary sweet qualities were unfortunate results of his background, but he was an enchanting creature nonetheless. His eyes, weary from a lifetime of pain, had seen a tremendous deal of battle. He walked about listlessly, wearing a glossy look of lost hope. Not only that, but he had left behind two important pieces of his heart. He rarely spoke, blushed frequently, and never looked anyone in the eye longer than five seconds. Nevertheless, he was a rather curious creature, determined to learn about the strange world around him. The combination of those qualities created a killer combo, enchanting every Smasher (especially Ike) around him.

Link, always a nurturing soul, embraced Snake as a little girl welcomed a new puppy into her life. Fox, more than happy to (temporarily) throw away his troubles, eagerly devoted his time to the withdrawn legend. Ike devoted his time to two pasttimes: training and thinking about the old soldier. He wasn't exactly the most cheerful Smasher of the bunch, he held his friends at bay, and scoffed at the mere mention of a smile-unless it was a sarcastic one. The other Smashers shrugged off his sour behavior until Snake came into the picture, and wheels began to churn. Madly. Ike kept on thinking about the Smash Seraph, Fox decided to put Ike at the receiving end of anger, Ike turned his thoughts into action, and-

Right before he could force Snake into a kiss, Fox appeared out of nowhere, delivered a savage blow to the back of his head, and-

Princess Peach's security guards arrested him.

Two hours later, Ike of Crimea was royally dismissed by the Smash Committee. Princess Daisy developed a 'no tolerance' policy for any kind of abuse, wanting the Smash seasons to be fun-and safe. She escorted Ike out of the kingdom herself, giving abundant apologies to those within the Smash Castle. Luckily, the quiet Snake was hardly affected-just a tiny bit disgusted by his assailant's behavior.

Nobody else was disappointed to see Ike leave, either.

Life went on in the Smash Castle. Smashers trained for upcoming Brawls, Link constantly prayed over Roy in the Castle Gardens, and the Smash Maidens constantly gushed over Snake. Visitors came and went, enjoying every minute of their Smash Castle tours. The Castle kitchens constantly hummed with activity, Marth Lowell spent a great deal of time with Pit, and Kirby spent time on his Carameldansen routine. Rumina Asagi, a young Pokemon Trainer from Pallet Town, became a close confidant to Falco. Unfortunately, their friendship would come to serve a lot of problems.

At first, the young trainer and pilot were perfectly happy. They weren't perfectly happy with their lives, but with each other. They were each other's shadow, catching each other's fears and answering with reassurance. Rumina constantly reassured Falco that everything was going to be all right, a smiling Falco always said 'thank you', and Rumina eventually started to give embraces. He continued to reassure Falco of everything, Falco began to blush, and on one particularly windy night, they stared at each other for a long while-

Without saying anything.

Falco broke the silence, but his first-and final-words were: _I think we have a problem._

Rumina was left in a cinematic scene. The Lombardi turned away, a gust of wind swept the hat off his head, and he watched a figure disappear into the night.

For the first time in ages, the Asagi felt unbelievably, intolerably lonely.

So, the plot behind a few stories thickened. Fox soon caught wind of Rumina and Falco's (awkward) relationship, and vowed to hate the Lombardi with an undying fervor. Rumina blushed whenever he caught sight of Falco, Falco always blushed and turned away-Link's Ocarina tributes to Roy always ended in tears, Zelda couldn't get in touch with Roy or his family, Kirby kept on dancing, and-

Merluvlee kept on grinning.

* * *

Two long weeks passed in the Mushroom Kingdom. The very first Brawl Tournament had arrived, much to the public's pleasure. Merluvlee became quite happy on that day, because something very special happened. Three denizens of another world entered the Smash Castle, interested in not only the day's competitions, but in a particular competitor as well. The three of them had dropped in to see Snake, and they weren't just looking for autographs. In the manner of noble knights and kings, the trio explained their reasons for arriving. They had been ordered by their chieftain, a magician named Yen Sid, to protect the Divine Bringer of Heaven's Calm. While every Smasher saw similarities between that name and 'Seraph', none of them knew what their new friends were talking about. The important facts were thus: they were warm, kind, loving and devoted to Snake, who was desperately in need of intimate companionship. While the Smashers tried their hardest to heal their beloved friend's pain, there seemed to be too much pain to heal. Perhaps his destined bodyguards would know how to heal him!

They were Terra, Aqua and Ventus. Terra was a spirited young knight, able to charm dragons with his smile-and able to kick some serious behind if he needed to. Upon arrival he joined the Smash Maidens in their Snake-glomping, cuddling and gushing. Aqua, meanwhile, was a burly, duteous warrior with the nobility of a Golden Retriever. The two of them were beautiful representatives of love, but the last part of their team won everyone's hearts without effort. He was Ventus, affectionately referred to as 'Ven'.

He was an energetic, amazingly warm sunbeam that pulled everyone he met into a blissful trance. People were drawn to his humble demeanor, rich smiles and kind voice. He helped those in need, even if they knew nothing of him. The Smashers quickly fell in love with him (Bowser, as a strong example, soon nicknamed him Venny), but the highlight of his budding journey would forever be his link to Snake. He was not only loyal to Snake but faithful, ready to lay his life on the line for him. Of course, no one understood why he was even linked to Snake (which was incredibly sad, considering the colorful stories they all came from), least of all Snake. Ven constantly spoke of Sin, the Organization, and the Divine Bringer's awakening, but his words always flew over everyone's head. Snake asked for his story once in the Castle Courtyard, and immediately regretted it. Confusing backgrounds meant nothing against Ven's smiles, though. The old war legend constantly found himself smiling around him, and soon began to speak at length around him. Gradually he opened himself up, increasingly comfortable with his new family. Questions like 'how does this work' and 'what about this' became frequent, and the Smashers felt as if they had a spastic kitten running around the castle. None of them were the least bit bothered by Snake's newfound energy, though. They all experienced a rebirth, fresh and alive with the melody of joy-all because their friend, who had been reserved prior to Ven's arrival, was alive with the magic of life.

Fox (who secretly wanted to enlist Ventus into the Star Fox team) had no problem with handing over the position of Snake's security guard. He was perfectly happy just to have Snake alive, and after the Ike incident, he had seen enough action. Ven happily gave him 'thanks', and once again dove into an explanation of the Divine Bringer's legend. It was his destiny to watch over Snake, he declared, and would never forget the McCloud's decision to stand down. From that point on, Ven was a constant companion of Snake's-and Snake had no complaints against the new arrangement. Sadly, he was still painfully unhappy with himself (his aging body, in particular), but Ven made him feel as if he could fly. The young Keyblade wielder was chivalrous towards him, comforted him whenever he edged towards a break down, and showered him in heartfelt affection.

Princess Peach caught wind of their elevating relationship. She told Daisy about Ventus and his friends, Daisy rejoiced, and-

_"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the newest addition to our Brawl season! He's cute, he's sweet, and Snake has a MAJOR crush on him! I give you Ventus!"_

The audience went stark-raving mad over Daisy's annoucement, but in a good way. Terra and Aqua turned down their offers to join, simply because they didn't want to tread on their friend's 'special time' with Snake. Ventus was initially nervous at the start of his first tournament, but once he thought of Snake's smile, the world turned upside down. His battle began in the Final Destination arena, the crowd rose to their feet, he was soon left with Pit, and-

Snake watched with a giddy, dreamy smile, pretty much engulfed in bubbles of dreamy happiness.

Ventus's first match turned out to be the greatest match of any Smash season. His acts of love for the Seraph didn't end with that single match, though. His acts ranged from opening doors to embraces and gifts. He trained on a regular basis, just to perfect his already brilliant skills. He spent several nights walking with Snake in the gardens, absorbing stories of the soldier's past underneath a starry sky. Peach caught sight of them one night, and contacted the owner of a Poke-Gram Service.

Thirty minutes into their night, Ventus and Snake saw golden geysers of flower petals. Many Chikoritas and Bellossoms had a lot of fun that night.

The night became even warmer upon a budding kiss. Two hearts smiled at each other, eyes melted into a blissful evening, foreheads nuzzled each other, and-

Both shut their eyes, engulfing each other in a soft embrace. They held one another long after the flower showers found their end, and fell asleep in the very garden. They held onto each other as they slept, lulled into pristine dreams by the divine flowers. Samus, watching in nearby bushes, didn't like the end of that night one bit.

_"What in the Hell was all that cuddling for?! This isn't preschool!"_

_"Ssssh! You know Snake's still uncomfortable with himself! Give him time, Sam!"_

A grimacing Samus knew she'd have to follow Peach's instructions. Patience led her through Ventus and Snake's rounds of kissing, cuddling, vows and more kissing. Her old friend, although he had acquired tremendous confidence from Ven's presence, was still painfully shy. The tale between a Keyblade wielder and an old legend struck several high points, though, and two would forever remain indescribable. One point was the day Ventus sought a gift for Snake, and ended up adopting a Pidgey in the soldier's name. The spirited Pokemon (named Epyon by his new owner) would prove to be an invaluable companion in the time to come. Rumina rapturously taught Snake everything he'd need to know about raising a Pidgey, happy to see that Ventus had taken the time to get him a Poke friend. Epyon would certainly be an amazing help, since Snake had the unfortunate tendency to become ill at times.

And around Epyon's neck was a charm from Ventus's keyblade.

Keyblade hero and war legend didn't see each other until nightfall. Ventus, not even taking the opportunity to personally deliver Epyon, spent the entire day hiding from the Smasher. Epyon ratted him out, Snake pulled him out of hiding, and brought up a few good points.

_"We almost kissed and you don't even give a damn about that, but you gave me a gift and bailed! You didn't even give me Epyon! You sent him to me!"_

_"W-w-w-well, I h-h-had s-s-some business to t-t-take care of with Y-Y-Yen Sid!"_

_"Oh, SURE YOU DID! And what do you think I did, huh?! I missed you like hell!"_

On that very night, a stammering Ventus prepared himself for another tournament. He stammered out a 'I'll see you soon' to Snake-

Who proceeded to give him a kiss on the cheek. And for the very first time, the war hero called him 'baby'.

Ventus of the Wind proceeded to kick the crap out of every Smasher present.

They built another monument of love together, and it was the result of a simple idea. Samus suggested a round of Waluigi's virtual reality game, an adventure that provided its customers with limitless possibilities. Accompanied by Fox and Zelda, she invited Ventus and Snake to a seemingly harmless round of virtual action. Epyon, incredibly close to his new owner, accompanied the group. Waluigi was more than delighted to receive them as customers, playfully amused by Ventus and Snake's reaction to his business. Snake studied the simulation devices as if they had come off Mars, and Ventus just looked downright confused. Mario's misfit brother soon explained how they would be diving into a world like no other, battling against adventures from deep within. Their imaginations would be the only things holding them back, as his mythical device fed off the creativity of his customers.

Snake and his companions were unaware of this, but Merluvlee did a bit of tampering with Waluigi's system. The six of them were transported to a land that instantly sent Snake into a fit of vomiting, and-

Mario's old friend laughed her head off.

Much to the war legend's horror, he and his small band had been transported to a barren wasteland. They had been transported to a world that knew nothing of life-only death. The yellow ether stank of blood and gunfire, while soldiers urgently delivered orders to one another. Truckloads of unwitting soldiers plummeted into fiery graves, torn apart by beasts of Hell. In the loving arms of Ventus and Zelda, Snake watched as death unfolded itself in every direction, wiping out all traces of fragile life. Cold, cruel laughter clashed against the wails of soldiers, blood splattered against dirt-ridden walls, and trucks were driven deeper into the hellish battleground. A horror-stricken Snake was soon comforted by his team mates, who vowed to protect him from any possible pain. Snake bowed his head with a smile, and was silent for a moment.

He then complimented Zelda on her battle outfit, and their adventure began in smiles.

As they expected, their assigned mission wasn't a cakewalk. They collaborated with the soldies to fend off explosive evil, but evil soon rose to an uncontrollable pitch. Someone by the name of Psycho Mantis arrived to wreak havoc, slaughtering hordes of military soldiers left and right. A tearful Snake watched as a familiar foe took down simulated lives, feeling as if the psycho's reign was all too real. His pain worsened once Samus, Zelda and Fox were torn away from him, but two comforting hearts remained. Ventus and Epyon were more than ready to die for him, battling against the entities of evil with limitless ferocity. Epyon was naught but a baby in the Pokemon world, but he readily showed off the incredible strength he had. His strength elevated on Psycho Mantis swept Ventus in the air.

Taking a tremendous interest in the Keyblade wielder, the heartless beast snagged Ventus out of Snake's care. Mantis proceeded to take flight, unwilling to surrender his new toy to anyone-including his true owner. Engorged with invigorating fortitude, the old war hero issued his order to Epyon.

_"Follow Mantis and do everything in your power to distract him! JUST DON'T FIGHT HIM!"_

Both of them took flight. Old Snake ran while Epyon flew, both soaring at incredible speed. Epyon soon caught sight of Mantis, informing the blood-stained world with battle cries. Snake ran, heart pumping, arms pumping-

_I can do this. I can protect someone. I can protect him._

_I can protect my Ven._

Adrenaline stormed through his veins and muscles. The orders and screams of soldiers fell into silence, leaving him only with the sound of his own breathing. He ran on, searching for an ideal place to attack Mantis. Epyon darted to and fro, evading Mantis's attacks with astounding speed. Mantis dug his hands into a half-conscious Ventus, Epyon's shrill cries alerted Snake of his whereabouts, and-

_"Mantis! Let him go, NOW!"_

_"Tell me why I should, old friend,"_ Mantis sang, thoroughly amused by his enemy's Pokemon-who made a quick return to his owner's shoulder. _"He's incredibly important to you, and incredibly beautiful at that! He's the source of all your dreams, your desires-"_

Epyon and Sunny's Epyon exchanged a quick nod. The Pokemon returned to the blood-ridden skies, soaring around a laughing Mantis. Rifle poised for the perfect attack, Snake waited. Epyon kept on flying, Mantis kept on laughing-

-and Ventus soon plummeted towards the ground, falling from the arms of a decaptitated Mantis. Snake darted from his place of attack, discarding his rifle in the process. Epyon plunged out of the air, heading after the falling Keyblade warrior with a long cry. Legend and Pokemon ran hand in hand, heart in heart, heading towards the same goal.

Seconds before Ventus could burrow into the ground, Solid Snake caught him. He caught a happy nod from Epyon as a bonus,

At that very moment, there couldn't have been a happier Pokemon Trainer.

The turbulent battle came to an end. The little team was transported to home base (which happened to be a tank Waluigi fashioned himself), sitting alongside their captain with results. Snake, Epyon and Ventus were placed inside of Waluigi's infirmary, on their way to a wondrous recovery. Ventus soon awakened in tears, no longer wanting Snake's touch because of what the airborne Mantis had done. A blushing Snake said nothing had changed, for he was still beautiful. A sobbing Ven smiled, deeply moved by the other's gentle words.

They spent the next ten minutes locked with an embrace, one filled with kisses.

_"Finally,"_ an annoyed Samus snarled, watching from the other side of the door. Peach giggled as her friend voiced her frustration. _"We're able to drag them into this stupid game, and they finally shack up with each other! Sheesh! It took 'em long enough! Now all we have to do is wait for them to hit the next base."_

_"Why do you think we're playing this game in the first place?"_ a smiling Fox asked, carefree and lighthearted for the first time in ages. _"I know I didn't sign up just to see new sights."_

The game's intensity rose by several amazing levels, and so did a certain connection. The intensity of a particular connection became so strong, three players made up excuses to dismiss themselves. Snake, Epyon and Ventus were left to themselves, facing a world of immeasurable challenges. Snake vowed to never let Ventus out of his sight, Ventus vowed to stay strong, and Epyon vowed to watch over both of them. Things struck a feverish pitch once Ventus was struck with poison, resulting from a dire sacrifice. He took an attack that was meant for Snake, and instantly went down. The attack was so grave, Snake and Epyon believed their Ventus to be dead. The old soldier soon found out that he wasn't, sweeping the wounded guardian into his arms. He might not have been dead, but he was dangerously close to losing his life. Poison was eating away at him, killing him with every breath he took. Snake wept, took the blame for everything, and found one of Ventus's hands against his face.

_"I swore to protect you at any cost."_

_"I dedicated myself to you long before I even laid eyes on you. I shall keep on fighting...to protect the one I hold most dear."_

And so, to Snake's horror, Ventus stood. He stood and fought on, just as promised. He fought tooth and nail to protect his Seraph, even though venom was zapping the life out of him. He fought until he could breath no more, and his eyes closed.

With his final breath, Ventus said three very important words-words Snake hadn't heard his entire life.

_'I love you.'_

For any other set of customers, the adventure would have been over. Due to Merluvlee's tampering, Ventus left the game in a comatose state. Snake and Epyon, also withdrawing from the game, instantly assumed he had actually died. A brokenhearted wolf broke down in tears, a Pokemon began to weep, and a virtual reality center erupted in chaos. Medics rushed onto the scene, Waluigi found himself pinned to the wall by an inconsolable Snake-

_"You fucking bastard! What in the Hell did you do?! What did you do to Ventus?!"_

_"I-I-I d-d-didn't do anything, I s-s-s-swear! The g-g-game's not supposed to work like th-th-this! I didn't mean for any of this to h-h-happen!"_

The Mushroom Medics tried to pull Snake off of Waluigi, a screaming Epyon told them to 'piss off' with his beak-

_"Hold on, sirs! This young man is still alive, but he's barely hanging in there! We've got to get him to ECC fast, or he won't have a chance!"_

The next eight hours were a blur. The Keyblade wielder of Wind was transported to the Mushroom Kingdom Medical Center, instantly installed into the Emergency Care Center. A sobbing, brokenhearted Snake was gently asked to stay inside of the waiting room, supported by the enraged Epyon. The other Smashers poured into the waiting room, embracing their beloved Seraph in tears. Bowser and Wario demanded hourly updates, Snake soon cried himself to sleep, and Epyon battled against Rumina. The young Pokemon Trainer, seeing Snake's tearful state, wanted to put the Pidgey inside of his Poke Ball. The bird angrily refused to seperate himself from Snake, wanting nothing more than to console his friend.

Terra entered the waiting room as quickly as he could. Aqua, much to the surprise of the Smashers, wasn't at his side. He explained how Yen Sid demanded his presence, then made a swift transition to the situation at hand. Dismissing her distress towards Aqua, she took a seat and made inquiries on Ven's condition. Snake eventually fell asleep, exhausted from incessant sobbing. Terra and Zelda held a strong vigil over him, Pit made the decision to contact Lady Palutena, and time passed at the speed of a snail. An hour passed, and the Smash angel made his return to the waiting room. Fretful, he explained the assistance he was able to acquire from the Goddess. Unfortunately, it wasn't much.

_"You guys, something's wrong! My lady tried to heal Ven, but her magic can't get through to him! There's a barrier of some sort, one we can't put our fingers on!"_

The Smashers weren't aware of it, but Merluvlee was evidently more powerful than Lady Palutena. Pit certainly didn't have a hold on the Gatekeeper's talents. A fortune teller was giggling as Smashers awaited Ven's revival, holding onto a sleeping Seraph. Throats strained for air, struggling to grasp even a shred of oxygen. Walls closed in, hearts wouldn't stop screaming-

And Ventus awakened upon nightfall, opening his eyes to the joy of immortal love. A tearful, exhausted Snake was at the Keyblade hero's side, impatiently awaiting the rebirth of his lover's voice. Epyon was perched on his shoulder, equally tired but euphorious over the young one's awakening. The trio experienced a heavenly resurgence, reunited underneath a quiet moonlit sky. Tears flew, hearts sang to one another, and kisses were shared between lovers of different worlds. Neither shard of eternity spoke as they held one another, gently showering each other in luminous devotion. A Pidgey happily watched over his friends, celebrating their reunion with serene smiles.

More days took flight. Three days were spent celebrating Ventus's return, and the miracles between two mates were joyously shared. Princess Daisy, immensely moved by a miracle, vowed to engrave Snake and Ven's virtual reality game into Brawl's history. That love story between Ventus and Snake wasn't the only one to develop, though. On the final night of Ventus's Rebirth Gala (the name was courtesy of Queen Zelda), Marth Lowell made passionate love to Pittrius Angelicus Sophitia. Rumina confessed his feelings for Falco to Fox and Falco, standing on one of the Castle's many balconies. A competition began between two friends, an angel experienced Heaven's divine euphoria, and Snake made a call home. His resurgence, his rebirth might have taken place inside of a simulation, but it felt unbelievably real. He came to life inside of Waluigi's simulation device, and hadn't lost a bit of that fire. So he made a call-

To the one and only Hal Emmerich.

There were things he had to apologize for, and all of them involved their bond. He had to apologize for not being there, for not comforting Hal over the tears he shed. In his eyes, he hadn't been that strong of a friend to the anime otaku. His bighearted sidekick deserved a world of gratitude, and that world was given on the arms of love. Snake then proceeded to introduce Ventus, expressing a passionate desire to bring Ventus to his family. Hal and his little daughter, Sunny, were enthralled by the idea of meeting Snake's lover.

Another story experienced a resurgence on that very night, and it belonged to a trio of lifelong friends. The days that followed were peaceful enough, showering all of them in much-needed relief. However, the days of relief were mere days indeed. Fate was due to erupt, and erupt it did. It covered every being inside the Mushroom Kingdom, from head to toe. It swept all of the Smashers, and their new friends, off their feet. It came in a fiery burst of chaos, wreaking havoc on everything they had nurtured so far.

Destruction came in a burst of Hellfire, otherwise known as 'Sin'.

* * *

"How is he?"

"Not too well. Doctor D says he'll be asleep for a while. The poor thing exhausted himself not only from fighting, but from all of that crying too. The poor, sweet thing."

A grim-faced Daisy shook her head. "We've got no trace on Snake," she declared, her firm voice carrying a vortex of pain. "Dear Ven. He spent so much time relaying the story of Sin, but never told us where Snake-or should I say the Divine Bringer-would be taken."

"He may not have known. Tales are rarely given to us in their complete form. I know I was set on my path with vague directions."

Queen Zelda of Hyrule bowed her head, hands clasped upon her lap. She spoke not a word as she stood underneath a crumbling ceiling, and neither did Daisy. Princess Daisy had been summoned to the Smash Castle in the wake of chaos, asked to report the castle's damage to the public. In just a short amount of time, the majestic establishment was ravaged by the hands of venom. Its ceilings were crumbling, walls were nothing more than shards...they were lucky to still have pieces of the Infirmary, and the kitchen. Not even dormitory rooms had survived a vicious onslaught.

The castle had been ravaged in the worst ways possible, leaving the Smashers and friends without a solid haven. However, the castle's pain wasn't the only thing the public wished to know about. It was far more concerned with the condition of their beloved fighters, friends they held close to their hearts. None of them were doing too well, thanks to the calamity that had taken flight. Sin, controlled by Organization XIII (according to the sleep, grief-stricken Ventus), had done quite a number on their lives.

Snake had been stolen. Right before the old Smasher decided to give himself to Ven, Luxord of the Organization snatched him right out of Ven's life-bringing Sin with him. Ven's precious legend came to wild, screaming life as the deranged, card-toting Luxord victoriously swept the Divine Bringer away, declaring the advent of a new age. Ventus, accompanied by Terra and Pit, desperately fought against the wicked blonde to free his Seraph, but to no avail. Seeing Aqua allied with the Organization served to knock the wind out of their sails, giving Luxord the chance he needed to beat his opponents into dire submission. Sin consumed Luxord's new prey, Ventus went berserk, expended all over his energy and-

_"Give him back! GIVE HIM BACK TO ME, PLEASE!"_

_"Oh! We're saying 'please', are we?! Have you developed feelings for the angel, Keyblade holder?!"_

_"LUXORD! RELEASE HIM! DON'T TAKE HIM, PLEASE! I'LL GIVE YOU WHATEVER YOU WANT-EVEN MY POWER! MY KEYBLADE! MY LIFE! JUST DON'T DO THIS!"_

_"Sorry, my dear friend, but your distress is only making this more fun! I'LL HAPPILY STEAL WHAT'S PRECIOUS TO YOU, WITHOUT LOOKING BACK!"_

As the Smash Castle fought to liberate their endangered Seraph, another kingdom was in the midst of grave danger. Prince Roy of Pharae, as Link discovered, had vanished into a dank, cold night. Several hours after his departure, his opposing kingdom invaded every inch of his land. Flames broke out, houses were torn down, and the grand castle was infiltrated. The King and Queen were mercilessly slaughter to the sound of cruel laughter. Servants were tied down and suffocated. The once proud, beautiful palace was subdued, and all of its pain was born without the prince. As far as Roy went, no one knew where he had gone. No one knew he had been assisted in his departure. No one knew anything.

One of Roy's devout followers informed Link of everything. Not an inch of the story provided the Hyrulean with happiness. His lover was due to be married one minute, and vanished the next. His kingdom had been destroyed, Link hadn't been able to assist in its defense, and the Hero of Time couldn't understand why his beloved prince would abandon Pharae in its darkest hour! Roy must've known of an oncoming war! What had happened?! What went wrong?! Why was everything falling apart?!

In addition to all of that, Snake was missing. Snake was gone.

Link had come to love Snake with a ferocious, warm passion. He cared for the other as a mother would dote over a sickly child. Just thinking of the absent Smasher caused his heart to jolt, and his chest to tighten. Tears swamped his eyes as his mind ran over thoughts of his old friend, who had become happy because of a new friend. Ventus had healed the withdrawn, quiet soldier, providing him with all of the love he desperately needed. But now Ven was heartbroken, and Snake was gone. Snake was gone, Roy was gone...

His whole life was gone.

In the aftermath of a brutal collision, he stood on one of the Castle's remaining balconies. In his hands sat the time-honored Ocarina, which he had used to perform tributes. Those tributes, of course, were for the missing pieces of his life. But his concert was at an end.

Goddesses, what should I do? I can't just sit here! I can play as many songs as I want, but none of them will reach anyone! My lover is in danger, Snake's in danger...there has to be something I can do to help!

Suddenly, a lightning bolt struck him. There was someone he could turn to, someone that could help him! That someone had vowed to always be there for him! But where to turn? He couldn't possibly help Snake and Roy out at the same time! They were in two different worlds-practically two different dimensions!

Courage took flight in the form of a smile. Anything was possible.

* * *

A special soundtrack was used to compose this adventure. Here are the songs in a nutshell: North by Afrocelt, Preliator by Globus, Access the Animus by Jesper Kyd, Requiem of a Tower by Clint Mansell, the Heavenly Sword OST, Decyfer Down's Fading and Dearly Beloved of the Kingdom Hearts OST.

Ventus, Terra and Aqua are originally featured in a Kingdom Hearts PSP adventure. The adventure has not yet been released in our nation, but there is currently a Japanese version. Our beloved Ventus bears strong similarities to Sora and Roxas, bearing only a difference in hair shade. His spiky brown tresses are much darker than either Sora's or Roxas's. And once I saw his description, I just had to pair him with Snake. XD Ventus has been described as a warm, kind-hearted soul, ready and willing to make friends. My original plan was the continuation of the Sora/Snake/Marth tale, but that obviously changed once I found Ventus. XD

Oh, and for the record, Sin is originally featured in Final Fantasy X. He is NOT a part of Ven's true adventure. I wished to include Sin because I was enchanted by the complex details of his FFX role. Sin is known as a compilation of humankind's crimes, wicked and inexcusably evil. It is an indescribable ugly entity, and can be reborn through a human's sacrifice. Does Ven's Divine Bringer have a connection to Sin? The details behind the Divine Bringer's legend are up to your imagination. XD

Link was originally paired with Pit, but I altered that for two reasons. One, I'm intolerant of predictable pairings, and two, Roy doesn't have enough screen time with anyone.

This tale is set before Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Merluvlee, manipulating Waluigi's virtual reality center, gave Snake glimpses of his MGS4 future. XD I was going to have this set after MGS4, but I imagined Ventus accompanying Snake on that long journey and altered that detail. XD The two of them are just incredibly cute together, kyaaah!

The nickname for Snake's Pidgey came from the nickname Sunny gave to Snake. XD The Big Boss and Shining Zephyr are more than familiar with the name 'Epyon'. XD

Thank you for reading this wonderful adventure of mine! It was...(counts on fingers) eight days in the making, so I really hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
